Every young generation is told that they have the power to change the world, and Gen Z is no different. Connected, outspoken, and empowered by technology, we are seen as the ones who will reimagine a more just, equitable, and sustainable future.
But to take the baton of changing society requires a sure footing, and the world Gen Z is set to inherit is proving to be anything but stable. Every day brings a new urgent headline, global alliances are breaking apart, climate change is intensifying, and political polarization grows more entrenched. How can a school prepare students for their future in the “real world” when the shape of that world is increasingly uncertain?
In a survey conducted by The Nueva Current and members of the Data Science and Statistics electives, 114 student respondents reflected on topics ranging from personal goals to the world at large. Responses were mixed, to say the least.
Optimism cannot be assessed from a binary lens. It can’t be reduced to the classic “glass half full” or “half empty” question—as if one’s entire outlook could be summed up by a single measure of hope or cynicism. In reality, there are a dozen different glasses on the table.
A student may be optimistic about their college readiness and future career, but may simultaneously be worried about worsening climate conditions or growing political divides.
“I feel hopeless about a lot of things politically, but I also feel hopeful about things like research, science, and activism,” noted one anonymous 9th grade respondent.
Optimism is a layered subject—and it should be treated as such. Rather than labeling someone as an “optimist” or “pessimist,” it’s more accurate to recognize that their outlook reflects a mix of often conflicting concerns.
Politics, in particular, brought out the strongest feelings from the student body. Across grade levels, students were generally united in their distaste for American politics today, with 79% expressing pessimism for the country’s future in the next five years.
Most, however, trusted in what they were personally able to control, with 73% saying they were confident in their ability to bounce back from future setbacks. When asked about their life after high school, 77% of seniors agreed with the statement “I feel ready to take on the future as I head into college,” while only 5% disagreed.
The picture becomes more murky when one’s own life intersects with broader changes in society.
42% of students agreed with the statement “I worry the work I do in my professional life will be meaningless or unsatisfying,” while 46% disagreed. Artificial intelligence is one major destabilizing factor for the future of work.
“Historically, automation has been used as a lever to cut down on costs to the point where people cannot survive on wages,” said Max K. ’26, who personally disagreed with the question on the form. “I believe AI is the next step in that process.”
For others, the root of modern dissatisfaction with work is a lack of agency in how we work, not just what we do.
Gen Z has grown up alongside the rise of a disruptive technology sector that seemed poised to reshape our relationship to labor. But for some students, that promise feels hollow: while job titles and industries have changed, they worry that the larger structures behind them will persist.
“I don’t really think we have opportunities to decide how we want to engage with work or leisure,” said Lily Z. ’28.
Others are determined to avoid mundanity in their future work. Lila P. ’26, who is interested in the nonprofit sector, sees a meaningful career as a requirement for her, rather than a nice-to-have. She sees that same motivation in many of her peers.
“I’m surrounded by a lot of privilege, where I’m lucky enough to get to do the things I enjoy,” Lila said. “A lot of the people I’m surrounded by are excited about what they do.”
The uncertain future of work is an additional challenge for schools which, in part, serve the purpose of preparing students for professional life.
“I don’t think there’s a unified message from Nueva on what a successful career looks like,” Max said. “I think that is something that Nueva tends to do very, very well is allow for a diversity of what we want to do with our lives.”
But when asked to look beyond vocation to their personal aspirations, respondents’ doubts became even more prominent. Among those surveyed, 52% agreed with the statement “I worry that my personal goals may be unrealistic in today’s world,” while only 24% disagreed.
In a world marked by rapid and unpredictable change, dreaming big can feel naive. Students increasingly feel they are navigating a world that resists meaningful change.
The question for Generation Z, then, is not just whether we want to change the world—but whether we can. Will our generation be defined by the inertia of our predecessors, or by our determination to overcome it?
Few issues capture this tension more clearly than climate change. For Gen Z, the prospect of climate catastrophe is not theoretical; it will be the backdrop to our adult lives and shape the work and family decisions we make in the future. But it’s also a profound test of whether we can confront the broken systems we’ve inherited with urgency and imagination.
The survey’s responses suggest cautious optimism. When students were asked whether they believed their generation would be more socially and environmentally responsible than previous ones, 54% agreed.
“We don’t have a choice, at least environmentally. We just can’t give up,” said one anonymous 11th grade respondent.
Others believed similarly in our capacity to adapt and rebuild. “The general pattern of history and social progress gives me hope, and I’m surrounded by very socially active people,” Lila said.
But even as some students spoke with optimism, others questioned whether hope is enough for an issue as existential as climate change.
“A lot of optimism comes with the belief in individual agency, which I don’t really think is the case [for the climate],” Lily noted.
Whether it’s the next academic year or the next global crisis, one thing is clear: there’s no single mindset that defines Gen Z. Some of us are hopeful, others more skeptical—and most fall somewhere in between.
We may not be the half-full generation, but we’re not empty-glass either. We’re simply the ones holding it, figuring out how to carry it forward.
Additional Research by Eleanor A. and Jackson D.